Cleanup suits Sandoval well

Published 4:00 am, Monday, June 22, 2009

Pablo Sandoval, batting cleanup as Bengie Molina was given Sunday off, cleaned up. Sandoval had two doubles and a walk - and a whiff - and ran his average to .338, moving up to second on the NL batting list.

Sandoval said before the game that he pays no attention to batting averages, his or anyone else's.

"Nope," he said. "I don't try to concentrate on the numbers. When you try to concentrate on the numbers, the numbers go down."

Sandoval also said he pays no attention to any All-Star Game talk. It would seem that the league's second-leading batter would rate a spot, but consider: Tim Lincecum and Matt Cainseem near-locks for All-Star honors, Brian Wilsonis tied for the league lead in saves (19), and it's unlikely the Giants would get four spots.

Fans select the position starters. One backup at each position is picked by vote of players, coaches and managers. The rest of each 31-man squad is filled out by the manager and commissioner's office, and one spot picked by fans' online voting.

Meanwhile, Sandoval has reached base safely 17 consecutive games, during which time he is hitting .435 (27-for-62).

Maybe it's because the Kung Fu Panda is lighter. Sandoval had the braces taken off his teeth June 9.

ZITO'S FEAT-O: Barry Zito, who improved to 4-7, struck out a season-high eight batters. It was the deepest he has gone into a game without giving up a hit since 2005, when he went 71/3 innings, also against Texas.

If you were wondering, the Giants' last no-hitter was by John Montefusco, Sept. 29, 1976.

BRIEFLY: The Giants are 18-9 since May 23. ... Wilson has converted 10 consecutive save opportunities. ... Molina received word Sunday morning that his aunt had passed away. Bruce Bochy planned to give Molina the day off, anyway. ... Will Randy Winn's two hits left-handed Sunday help him bust his right-handed slump? "No" Winn said, emphatically. "I'm two separate hitters." Winn pointed out that he had a broken-bat infield hit Sunday, and he has had zero lucky hits from the right side.

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